Statue of Liberty
New York’s most famous symbol, the Statue of Liberty, also known as Liberty Enlightening the World, is found on Liberty Island.
This colossal monument stretching 151 feet 1 inch from base to torch, located on an island in Upper New York Bay, can only be visited by ferry. To get to the boat visitors have to head to the dock in Battery Park in Downtown Manhattan.
History
The Statue of Liberty was inaugurated in October 1886 and was given to the Americans by the French to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. In 1984 it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The statue was designed by Gustave Eiffel, the same architect responsible for the Eiffel Tower.
Visiting its Observation Deck
On the 4th of July, 2009, coinciding with Independence Day in the United States (a very important date for the Statue), access to the pedestal was reopened. It had previously been closed since the 9/11 attacks.
To go up to the pedestal you'll have to buy the tickets online weeks in advance, otherwise, it’s impossible to visit the statue's observation deck since only 30 people can enjoy the views per hour.
Without climbing to the top, you can also enjoy a visit to the island by going up to the Statue of Liberty's pedestal observation deck. Although it's not as high, it still offers beautiful views of Manhattan, plus an exciting visit to the interior of one of the most emblematic monuments in the world.
The most convenient option to avoid complications is to book a tour to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, so you can learn about the history of this monument and visit the Immigration Museum.
Useful Tips
If you want to avoid queuing, we suggest arriving at Battery Park as soon as they open the dock and start selling the boat tickets. This way, you'll be able to skip the lines and you might be lucky enough to access the inside of the Statue since there are very few places available.
If you arrive after 10 am, the line usually takes about an hour until you can take the ferry to Liberty Island. What's more, make sure you have enough time to visit Ellis Island, which is the next stop after Liberty Island. You should take a ferry before 2 pm to give yourself enough time to visit both islands.
Schedule
The first ferry departs at 9 am (although this may vary at different times of year)
To come back to Manhattan, the last ferry leaves Liberty Island at 3 pm
Open every day of the year except on 25 December
Price
The ferry price includes a visit to Liberty Island and Ellis Island.
Adults: US$ 31.50
Children (aged 4-12): US$ 19
Seniors (over 62): US$ 25
Free with the New York Pass
Transport
Ferry from Battery Park. To get to the dock:
Subway: South Ferry (line 1), Whitehall St/South Ferry (lines R and W), or Bowling Green (lines 4 and 5)
Bus: lines M1, M6 and M15
Nearby places
Ellis Island (1.2 km) Wall Street (3.5 km) The New York City Police Museum (3.5 km) Federal Hall (3.5 km) 9/11 Memorial (3.6 km)
